We want to thank the JTNews for the front-page article (‘King County joins Jewish agencies on homeless issues,’ Nov. 10) on the Nov. 5 conference titled ‘The Jewish Response to Homelessness.’
Homelessness is an issue that deserves more attention, and the article conveyed that sense of importance as exemplified in introductory remarks by Ken Alhadeff, who sponsored the event, Ken Weinberg of Jewish Family Service, the moderator, and in King County Executive Ron Sims’ keynote address. Not mentioned in the article were opening remarks by Rabbi Moshe Kletenik, for whose participation we are especially grateful.
There are a few important corrections we’d like to make:
1.The conference was organized by a committee of representatives from a broad cross-section of Jewish congregations and Jewish Family Service. No governmental agency was involved in the planning or sponsorship of the conference, nor is such involvement envisioned in any further organizational activities.
2.The approximate number of King County residents without any shelter at all is 1,946 as of January 27, 2006, not 4,000. However, since that number comes from the One Night Count which does not cover all areas of King County, it is likely that some unsheltered persons remain uncounted.
As of Jan. 27, 2006, the number of people in shelters or transitional housing was 5,964 (of whom 2,880 were families with children). Thus, approximately 8,000 people in King County are without housing. For more information, see www.homelessinfo.org.
3.The article’s concluding quotes were attributed in error to Sally Kinney. The proper attribution is unknown and may have come from other committee members.
4.Although the Nov. 5 conference was presented specifically for Jewish congregations, we plan to broaden our base in the coming year and invite Jewish community organizations to join The Puget Sound Jewish Coalition on Homelessness. The breadth and depth of homelessness in our community mandates that we all work together on ending it.
Again, thank you for your coverage.